In research published in Insect Conservation and Diversity , investigators analyzed records from social media to explore which arthropods—including insects and spiders—are most preyed upon by domestic cats in urban environments.
The scientists, who conduct their research at the University of Campinas, in Brazil, searched TikTok and iStock, analyzing more than 17,000 photos and videos, which yielded 550 records of predation events by domestic cats.
In total, they recorded 14 distinct arthropod orders killed by domestic cats. Orthoptera (which includes grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets) was the most frequently preyed upon order, accounting for 20.7% of records. Hemiptera (which includes more than 80,000 species of "true bugs") and Blattodea (which includes cockroaches and termites) were also commonly observed (14.5% and 14.4%, respectively).
The findings reveal that domestic cats hunt a surprisingly diverse range of arthropods in urban settings. The data collected from social media showed similarities but also some differences compared with general patterns reported in the scientific literature.
"The most exciting aspect of our research is that we were able to use social media data to reveal an impact of domestic cats on biodiversity that has been relatively overlooked by the scientific literature," said Leticia Alexandre, lead author and undergraduate student at the University of Campinas. "Indeed, our results document cases of cats attacking groups of arthropods that have never been identified in academic papers as cats' prey," added co-author Raul Costa-Pereira, PhD. "Therefore, social media platforms can offer much more than cute photos and videos of cats, aiding in understanding and reducing their effects on biodiversity."
URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/icad.70038
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